BigDave44

I was wondering how many of you use chamois Cream. I have developed a constant barrage of pimples and was wondering if this will clear it up?

maletero

I use it rides over about 40 miles. Helps with chafing. I also do use Body Glide for other chafing issues on most rides. It helps.

washed up

I just started using the stuff after many years of riding. I had a sore that would not heal because I did not want to take an extended period off the bike. I noticed a difference on the first ride with the cream and the sore eventually healed with no time off the bike. I am sold on it.

Rock71

Dave those aren't pimples, they are teeth marks left over from your wifey chewing your arse the other day.

GuessWhoCycling

I used it on longer rides like 60 milers then realized why even do a short 20 miler without it if it makes you comfy and willing to sit on the saddle more?

BTW, shower right after a bike ride, that keeps the pimples/saddle sores from forming. ;-)

pdlamb

Yep, and wash bike shorts after every ride (or every day's commute, if you do a round trip).

I use chamois cream for rides over a couple hours, and re-apply if necessary after 6-8 hours on the bike. But I'm more worried about preventing chafing or larger cysts than a rash or small pimples.

JLDickmon

crotch cream is for chafing.. butt pimples are more of a pressure thing..

79pmooney

Chamois cream never hurts and can help a lot. As others have said, cleanliness is also important. A trick to commuting for the ride home is to wear something like UnderAmour jockey briefs under your shorts going in to work, then home with just the cycling shorts.

If you have saddle sores or other issues and have to ride (on a bike tour, are a racer, messenger, etc.) Bag Balm is the stuff. No claims to heal but the ride will be much more bearable and you won't do additional damage (as long as you use enough - no problem - it's cheap). It ought to be in every cyclist's medicine cabinet. An $8 can goes a long ways and its shelf life opened is decades (generations?, centuries?)

Ben

ptempel

I haven't used chamois cream yet. But my rides haven't gone over two hours each in a long time. I sometimes feel some soreness after my commute. I usually put on vitamin A&D cream before I go to bed and the soreness clears up by the next morning. I'm curious about your use of the jockey briefs on the way into work. Wouldn't they make you sore from the thick seams on the briefs? Maybe I'm thinking more of the standard Fruit of the Loom tighty whities. But all of my underwear seem to have the same characteristic big seams. I just hang up my short (or bib) on the hanger to dry like the rest of my clothing. Yes, I still go home a bit stinky but I've never got any saddle sores so far using the same short twice a day. One thing I started doing to combat the stinkyness is to wash my skull cap in the sink at work with hand soap and water. It was one of the sweatiest and also stinkiest pieces of clothing for me.

Edit: The original post just reminded me of hearing about some folks waxing the hair off of their nether regions. Does anyone do that? Might help to prevent the pimples in the OP's case. But I've never tried it myself so I can't give an opinion on it...

KraneXL

No one size fits all, nor is one solution viable for everyone. There's just too many different kinds of anatomies, sizes and shape, physical characteristic, as well as different environments.

For example, I've never use or needed any type of creams or rubs, nor do I have any friction issues. I will however, get a sore butt after 4 hours in the saddle. Then again, that would be true even in a comfortable seat at home.

nomadmax 

This has always worked for me. Even when I was training on my road bike in the mornings and then spending all day in the saddle at work for 8-10 hours.

https://www.amazon.com/Boudreauxs-Butt-Paste-Diaper-Ointment/dp/B0009RF8G0

GuessWhoCycling

Ah good point! I carry a few dabs in a film type container (old camera film type plastic cylinder) or a test strip type container (diabetes) if you know one. Very handy and easy to carry on rides for the touch up!

GeorgeAz

Yup, to answer the question I use it. Always, and especially in the summer. On a variety of bibs. The ride home in the summer often hovers close to 95 plus. Get home, get the bibs off, take a shower and wipe down with Seabreeze, Witchhazel or rubbing alcohol - choose your poison. Wash the bibs immediately and hang to dry.

I prefer Assos and it is expensive for 4 ounces, for shorter rides I get 8 ounces of European Style Chamois Butt'r from Jensens for 19.99. It works well in the heat, maybe not as good as Assos but close.

If I get one of those areas, wipe it down with alcohol and use some neosporin a couple times a day. It will resolve rather quickly.

Teamprovicycle

Going commando as much as possible made the biggest difference for me . i had some success with wraping high quality plastic wrap around my thighs to seal in the balm and vasline on the outside . it really took the sting off.

wsteve464

ggoytia1

Another vote for bag balm.

HIPCHIP

I always use cream. Rubs me raw if I don't. I use Queen Helene Cocoa Butter as you can get a whole tub for a few bucks. You can get at Walmart or I get it on-line. Compared to the top of the line chamois creme, this is about 99% as slippery and costs about 1/4 as much. A tub will last you for months.
https://www.walmart.com/search/?quer...5bb2e676c79676

jsigone

body glide for cycling seems to work well and I don't have to get a new one every month or few

https://www.rei.com/product/799292/b...is-glide-15-oz

Tom L

I use it every ride or training ride on the kick R
works great

79pmooney

UnderAmour jockey briefs. (I think I have the model name right; they are the mid thigh, tight fitting shorts with a pouch front. They are better fitting for riding than most cycling shorts) They have minimal seams. I've never had issues with them. Rides over 30 miles I either do not use them or use a lot of Bag Balm as they are a little more abrasive than good chamois.

I started using a beard trimmer at it's closest setting (Wahl Home Haircutter, plug in) to trim all the pubic hair that can possibly be in contact with the bike seat. Big, big improvement! Works so well I see no need to shave closer, wax, etc. A couple of minutes every few weeks. (This asn't an issue when I was i nmy 20s. But 49 years later, those hairs are a lot longer.)

Ben

CreakingCrank

I doubt any lubricant product designed to reduce chaffing will help reduce the chances of getting "pimples". It certainly won't clear them up once they develop. Those pimples are actually the start of a bacterial infection caused by bruising (from pressure) paired with warmth (its warm down there) and moisture (again present in that area). By default its an ideal bacteria breeding farm.


Avoidance: Change out of wet riding shorts immediately after riding. Wash well and put on clean dry clothes. The bruising will lessen the more your ride. Somehow the area magically leathers up over time.


Treatment: Left untreated, those bumps can get big and extremely painful. I read a journal where a guy on tour ended up in the hospital because the infection got so bad, so don't ignore it. Here's what I do: Three times a day whenever the bumps are present, I rub antibacterial liquid soap directly on the bump for three minutes (time it, as 3 minutes will feel like eternity). I rub in circular fashion right on the bump. I then wipe the area clean of excess soap and apply Neosporin. The soap dries the skin a bit, and the Neosporin protects the dry skin from further bacteria.


Three times a day usually clears up a small (new) bump in a few days, even while continuing to ride.

knitguy

I use it on longer rides (over 20 or 30 miles) and sometimes I use it if I'm riding inside. Before I had a saddle that more or less worked for me I would always use it inside (and could tell the difference when I didn't) but I've been fine without it more recently (my Brooks B17 Imperial appears to really be breaking in at this point).